Standard paperboard containers in which tobacco products are typically sold provide an economical packaging solution, but they suffer from a number of shortcomings. In particular, they are easily damaged and therefore may not have sufficient structural strength to protect the tobacco products stored therein. Moreover, they do not provide a safe and convenient means for storing a partially consumed tobacco product. Several existing cases for tobacco products attempt to address these shortcomings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 242,632, to Gruner, discloses a cigar holder that is designed to hold a burning cigar by providing a non-conducting lining or jacket that covers the entire interior of a pair of retaining shells that are hinged together. The lining allegedly prevents the passage of heat through the holder when a lighted cigar is deposited therein. U.S. Pat. No. 522,881, to Cronenwett, similarly discloses a case having two halves that are connected to each other by hinges. A lining extends from an extreme end of the case to an intermediate point, at which point the lining in each half is thickened. When the case is closed around a partially consumed cigar, the cigar is held in place by the thickened portion of the liner, with the moistened tip of the cigar extending into the unlined portion of the case, thus being held out of contact with any burning ashes. U.S. Pat. No. 1,221,398, to White, discloses a cigar case having two members that are hinged together by bearing members having a pintle extending therethrough. The case includes a resilient finger that is arranged such that a cigar can be slipped under the finger, thereby holding the cigar against movement within the case.
Some existing cases attempt to improve upon the above-mentioned designs by additionally providing a mechanism for cutting off the burning end of the partially consumed tobacco product. U.S. Pat. No. 64,826, to Appel, discloses a case consisting of two semi-cylindrical shells that are hinged together at one side. A cutter is secured to the front edge of one of the shells such that when the shells are closed, the cutter can be used to cut off the point of a cigar. U.S. Pat. No. 486,004, to Ullin, discloses a cigar case constructed of two longitudinal hollow or concave portions, that are hinged together along one edge. A shallow traverse knife or cutter having a concave shape on its cutting edge is secured a short distance from one end of one of the portions of the case, and a transverse knife or cutter having a convex shape is secured to the other portion, such that when the two portions are shut together, the convex cutter will close down past the concave cutter, thereby making a clean cut of the burning end of the cigar and depositing it forward of the cutters, with the unburned portion of the cigar being left back of the cutters. U.S. Pat. No. 666,781, to Ulrick, similarly discloses a cigar case having upper and lower sections that are connected by hinges. A disk-shaped cutter is secured along one end of the upper section, and the lower section is entirely open at that end, having a lip formed at the open end. The lip of the lower section provides a receiving groove for the sharp semi-circular edge of the cutter of the upper section when the two sections are brought together. Thus, when the two sections are closed around a partially consumed cigar, the cutter severs the lighted projecting end of the cigar, enclosing the unconsumed portion within the case and permitting the severed lighted portion to fall to the ground. While the cases disclosed by Gruner, Cronenwett, White, Appel, Ullin, and Ulrick, are purportedly designed to store a partially consumed tobacco product, they all suffer from the shortcoming that they can store only a single tobacco product.
Some cases attempt to further improve upon the above-mentioned designs by providing for the storage of multiple tobacco products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,783, to Herchelroth, discloses a case having opposing housing segments that are hinged together. Each segment includes a recess, which cooperate with each other to define a chamber that is dimensioned to receive one or more cigars or cigarettes. A fiberglass liner unit conforms to the interior of the chamber, preventing heat from a burning cigar from being conducted to the surface of the housing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,894, to Cigler, discloses an apparatus for storing rolled tobacco products having a lighter section, a rolled tobacco products section, and a refuse section. The lighter section is designed to accommodate a lighter, and the rolled tobacco products section includes a cavity that can be sized to store a single rolled tobacco product, or alternatively can be sized to store multiple rolled tobacco products. The refuse section includes a clipping aperture bounded on at least one side by a sharp edge, and a cutting door having a sharp cutting blade can be moved by use of a finger actuator so as to close the clipping aperture in such a manner that the cutting blade abuts the sharp edge, thereby shearing and cutting any tobacco product inserted within the clipping aperture. While the cases disclosed by Herchelroth and Cigler can store multiple tobacco products, they do not have separate compartments, one for storing partially consumed tobacco products, and another for storing fresh tobacco products.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,092, to Ayers, also discloses a cigarette case that can store multiple tobacco products. The cigarette case disclosed by Ayers includes a combined extinguisher and ashtray. The case is a box-like structure including a lid that is pivotally attached to a rear wall by a hinge, and a front door wall comprising a moveable upper section and a stationary lower section that are pivotally attached to each other by a hinge. A number of semi-cylindrical cavities are rigidly attached to the rear wall, and a corresponding number of abutting semi-cylindrical cavities are rigidly attached to the upper section of the front door wall, such that the cavities register with each other when the front door wall is closed, thereby forming a series of abutting parallel tubes having an inside diameter approximately equal to that of an average cigarette. In operation, the burning end of a cigarette is inserted into one of the tubular openings formed by the cavities and is pushed completely into the tube, and the lid is closed. The cigarette is purportedly extinguished almost instantly upon its compete insertion into the tube, and its ashes drop into a receptacle formed at the bottom of the case. The unburned cigarette can be removed by first opening the lid, and then opening the moveable upper section of the front door wall. While the case disclosed by Ayers provides an advantage over the previously-described cases in that it allows a partially smoked tobacco product to be stored in a separate tube from fresh tobacco products, it does not prevent the fresh tobacco products from coming into contact with the burning ashes of a partially smoked tobacco product, since all of the tubes are open at their lower ends to the same receptacle at the bottom of the case.
Some existing cases provide multiple compartments, each of which can store one or more tobacco products. U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,666, to Turver, discloses a cigarette container having a cap threaded to a main body, a long central opening within the main body for receiving the full length of a cigarette, and a cup portion covered by a serrated ash holder at the lower end of the long central opening. The serrated ash holder rides on the spiral threads of a threaded lining member, which is connected to a knob. When the knob is turned clockwise, the ash holder rises on the spiral threads to meet the head of a cigarette inserted into the opening, causing the cigarette filter to protrude from the opening so that it can be easily removed. When the cigarette has been partially smoked, it can be reinserted into the opening, thereby extinguishing the lit end by both pressure against the ash holder and by lack of oxygen. The process is repeated each time the user wants to smoke the cigarette. Turver discloses that extra tubes may be added to the side of the container to store additional cigarettes, but Turver does not disclose any details regarding the configuration of any such extra tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,490,784, to Cortesi, discloses an article for smokers comprising a main body having a first service housing, a cavity, and a second service housing. The first service housing, which can be used to store a lighter or a cigarette or cigar, is externally accessible at the first end of the main body. The second service housing, which can receive a whole or cut cigarette or alternatively a spare lighter, can be made externally accessible by moving a part that is translatably coupled to the second end of the main body. The cavity is formed in the part at the second end of the main body that covers the second service housing. This part includes a cutting element that can be moved from an open position in which the lit end of a cigarette can be introduced into the cavity, to a closed position in which the cutting element detaches the lit portion of the cigarette. The detached lit portion is then hermetically sealed within the cavity. While Cortesi states that the second service housing is covered by the part at the second end of the main body, Cortesi does not disclose any structure for covering the first service housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,226, to Hernlein, discloses a smoker's convenience caddy for lighting a cigarette, depositing ashes, and holding a cigarette while it is not being smoked. The caddy includes a body and a lid, which are attached to each other by a bungee cord. One pocket provides for the deposit of ashes, and another provides for the storage of a lighter unit. Hernlein discloses that the pocket for storing ashes can alternatively be used to store a partially smoked cigarette, and the pocked for storing a lighter unit can alternatively be used to store fresh cigarettes. Both pockets, however, are covered by the single lid, and the bungee cord may not provide a reliable and secure means of attaching the lid to the body.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved case for tobacco products.